Final answer:
The trees most likely to survive beetle infestations, like those causing Dutch elm disease, are trees with thick outer bark, which serves as a primary defense by hindering beetle entry and protecting the vascular cambium.
Step-by-step explanation:
Trees Likely to Survive Beetle Infestations
The trees most likely to survive in an area where a beetle that feeds on the transportation tissue inside the tree lives are trees with thick outer bark. Thick bark can protect trees from the initial penetration of beetles like the bark beetle associated with the spread of Dutch elm disease. Since the beetles feed on the inner bark and carry spores from infected trees to uninfected trees, a robust outer layer reduces the chance of the beetles reaching the vulnerable inner tissue where the vascular cambium and thus, the tree's nutrient transport system, could be compromised.
Dutch elm disease is a devastating condition caused by a fungus that is spread by bark beetles, particularly affecting elm trees with less resilient bark. Therefore, trees with naturally thick bark, such as some conifers and mature oak trees, would be more likely to withstand the beetle's attack compared to trees with thinner bark.
Adaptations that result in healthy vascular cambium may be beneficial for recovery after an infestation, but thick outer bark is the primary defense that would prevent beetles from causing damage in the first place. Hence, that is the key factor in tree survival in beetle-affected areas.